


Beyond the evident

by Rehkind



Category: Original Work
Genre: All of these are like... aus but canon!!!, Lovecraftian, M/M, Multiverse, Science Fiction, scifi
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-11-26
Updated: 2018-11-26
Packaged: 2019-09-03 01:54:22
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,154
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16754650
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Rehkind/pseuds/Rehkind
Summary: Each time they meet, no matter where or how, they tempt and orbit around each other until they inevitably collide...A collection of short stories about 3 people, seemingly bound by fate that will explore different genres and settings





	Beyond the evident

Tarvik was at the verge of the asteroid belt that surrounded the dark planet. He would have to pilot through this mess himself, his autopilot stopped when it detected danger. Most times, that was a good decision, but he was sure it would be worth it to bypass the AI this time. His ship was small and fast, he was sure it would fit right between the giant floating rocks. He took one last look at the terrific calculations the autopilot had given him, before he put on his helmet.  
This had been his life since he was 15 years old. Tarvik started searching for scraps in the void, after that he learned how to mine asteroids and now he was the most reliable source for the most exquisite materials this galaxy had to offer. He had all that he wanted, money, a good ship, respect from the ones that mattered. Only 3 people were in that last category but that didn’t matter. He never felt lonely. He was happy to spend his time between the stars, perhaps that was the reason why he never quit his rather risky job. It made him happy, even when he knew he could die.  
But something was different this time.  
This mission wasn’t about retrieving minerals but information. No signals had left this planet for over 2 years and no one who entered, left it again. That certainly sounded like great conditions. He would have declined but he didn’t have the heart to say no to the grieving families that had put their money together to hire him.  
He wasn’t sure what to expect on the surface tho. He was certain that common mistakes like ignoring radiation or not testing the air wouldn't have happened so often. A sudden change in gravity was unlikely too, no changes were detected in its physicality. There was the possibility of some killer virus but it had to be damn fast. So he had packed for everything he could think about. He would probably still die or never leave the planet again. He could accept that.  
Everything went fine until he had reached the middle of the asteroid belt. At first, he didn’t even notice how the rocks seemed to avoid his ship, getting a bit faster or slower to make his travels easier. But the closer he got, the more it looked like a landing strip being built for him. And just like that, his way back got cut off too. It was a damn shame, he thought, that he certainly wasn’t prepared for a force strong enough to change the ways of natural satellites. Unexpectedly, this new development lifted his mood right up. If there was something sentient down there, he could argue with it, he could learn to understand it, or worst case, just kill it. He certainly had powerful enough weapons with him. If it can blow up an Eleshk, it can blow up whatevers down there. When he reached the planet's atmosphere, even the clouds turned away. Someone was either very lonely or aware that he would visit them.  
The touchdown went over very smooth but everything else was very worrisome. Right away, Tarvik felt something pulling him towards the horizon. He never had felt this before but he had been told about it like its a fairy tale. Psychological manipulation was a relatively normal thing but this went deeper, like an instinct, telling him to run. Only children of the ancient gods can use this power, at least that’s what he has been told. Experiencing this was weird. Of course he believed in the ancient ones, you had to be either an idiot or mad to travel the deep spaces with a small prayer to them, but he had been convinced that these so called children did not exist. Most claiming this heritage were frauds, ready to get the money from poor, naive believers. But maybe, now he could meet the real deal.  
He had to wait for his ship to measure the quality of the atmosphere and detect any toxic components. To his surprise, the air seemed to be perfect for him. Just like someone made it for him… He still chose to wear most of his protection to be safe. Whoever waited for him out there wanted him to feel safe and sound. He wouldn’t make that mistake. But when he left the ship, he made another worrisome observation. There was no sign of destruction around him, everything looked like it was left yesterday. The buildings, mostly oval shaped, were clean and neat. He even spotted a few items lying around like they were used just a minute ago. It was eerie and still so normal. He didn’t move for 10 minutes, only taking notes to analyze more later. Apparently, that was too long. A thick fog has filled the air, only leaving one path free. Some was impatient and very direct about it.  
The fog didn’t leave for the rest of his walk. It was annoying since he really had to walk for a while. The bits he had learned about this mysterious being convinced him that talking about this problem would probably work? He might have to do a bit of ass kissing (or eating, depending on the situation) but he should be able to get out of this alive.  
Finally, the fog cleared and Tarvik could see where he was supposed to go. At first he thought that this had to be a tower, it was tall and dark, and surrounded by an aura of dread. But when he looked at it more carefully, he noticed the raw edges and cracks. It was a giant oval asteroid, stuck in the destroyed floor, with a monsterous split in the middle. It was the only thing that seemed to be broken around here. How did the houses around it survive the collision? Slowly, Tarvik got closer and touched the stone. It felt rather metallic. If he would have taken his tools, he could have analysed it and learned a little more about this empty planet. But before he was able to find a sample for later, he heard something from inside the asteroid. A low but loud rumble that shook the earth around him threatened him to come closer. Tarvik really didn’t think that it was wise to make him ask twice.  
He had to climb a bit to reach the entrance of the space rock. He liked the short distraction, it took his mind of the possible danger he was facing. The rocks below his hands were cool and dry, the air was just warm enough to not have him shiver. It would be nice if he could survive this encounter just to enjoy the surrounding landscape and maybe learn a bit about it again. When he reached the edge, he could see the sun set and make place for the stars above him. He should hurry.  
The deeper he got into the cave, the colder and darker it got. There had been only one way, only one choice. How wide could this asteroid be? At least he had his flashlight. After 5 minutes of walking, he felt annoyed. After 10 minutes, he got confused. And after 30 minutes, he was ready to cry. He still hadn’t reached the end of the tunnel nor did it get any narrower. He was ready to turn around and get back and try to ignore the enticing feeling in his heart.  
But finally, right when he was ready to leave, he could see a light at the end of the tunnel. He started to sprint towards it and it got closer and closer… this was too fast. Tarvik stopped but the light didn’t. His mind told him to run but his whole body froze. How did it move with no sound? But before he could prepare for some sort of an impact, the end of the tunnel was there. In front of him was a giant hall, with an open ceiling. This didn't even fit into the asteroid but it was proof that whoever was calling with Tarvik wanted to mess with him too. Cautious, he walked into the room, looking for something, anything alive. When he reached the middle, he could see that it was completely empty. Looked like he was fooled again.  
“Turn around.”  
The entrance was gone, replaced by a bunch of broken rocks, that seemed to resemble some sort of settee. On top of it was the person who called him, looking surprisingly human and -Tarvik wasn't sure why he felt that way- unbelievably beautiful. And the look on their face revealed that they knew exactly what he felt. He assumed that this was a reaction they were used to. Their face was very symmetrical, with big lips, red, long hair, wide, strong shoulders and really not enough clothing hiding their skin. On a second glance, he started to notice what didn’t fit the picture. Something beneath their skin… seemed to move. He followed the motion, until he reached their eyes. There were none. Instead, it seemed to be filled by something shifting with every moment. Strings? Worms? Water? Tentacles? The longer he looked, the more movements he could see. It went through their whole body, shifting and quivering.  
“Why don’t you get closer?”  
Their voice seemed to be everywhere and nowhere. While they were pretty, very pretty, Tarvik was pretty sure he should keep away from whatever was inside them.  
“Why don’t you come over here?”  
he tried to reason. The being laughed and shifted to looked directly at him, nearly piercing him with their gaze.  
“I can’t. My legs are dead.”  
Oh, in that case, he wouldn’t act like a bitch. He slowly got closer, scanning them for any threat. The being observed him amused, both knew that they could simply crush him, if they wanted. But they would grant him that fake sense of security. Instead of any obvious dangers, Tarvik’s eyes were stuck on their legs. They were filled by the movement worse than other parts of their body, twitching lightly into directs legs can’t turn. He awkwardly stopped, a meter away, unsure what to do. The being gestured him to sit next to them.  
“Don’t be shy,” they teased. “I’ve been expecting you.” Tarvik obeyed, placing his hand in theirs, when they motioned him to do so. They took off his gloves and placed them neatly beside them. Slowly, they traced old scars and new ones, seemingly entranced by the broken flesh. Their fingers were soft, so soft, he was afraid that they would break if they got squished too hard. Whenever the thing inside them moved, it tingled a bit.  
“You got more than the usual scars for your type,” they grinned. “What?” Tarvik asked. The being dropped his hand looked him deep in the eyes. He tried to stare back but it was eerie, staring at the openly moving turning and moving appendages. They seemed to be pleased by his reaction.  
“This must be confusing for you but I know who you are and i have seen your life play before my eyes times and times before. Time is waiting for no one, not even me, so I will keep my explanation as short as possible.”  
“I am the watcher, a child of the gods. There are many of us, hidden across all of the galaxy. I have traded my eyes to see much more than the world before me - the multiverse. I was able to observe everything and nothing. The birth of stars, the start of wars, the destruction of whole galaxies and the death of the universe. I made it a habit, to look for myself in those other worlds to see my full potential and to, well, compare.”  
They laughed, blushed and looked away. Were they embarrassed? Tarvik didn’t understand. All they said till now was mighty impressive to him.  
“I am many things out there, sometimes beggar or whore, other times pirate or thief but most times I’m in between. The only constant in this chaos, was you. You were there every time, unless we were both dead! We were friends, lovers, concurrents. I loved watching you but I forgot, or maybe, I was to afraid, to search for you in this world, my actual life.”  
They suddenly pulled him closer, slowly letting their hands travel across his arms to his shoulders, until they reached his helmet. After a moment of waiting, Tarvik got the clue and took it off. They grinned and started to play with his hair. As worrisome as this situation should be, it felt just right. Something deep within him wanted to keep their hands right on him at all time. He felt like he had found the 4 person to care about in his life. But even though this little blissful just started, they stopped again, frowning.  
“But it’s too late.”  
Before Tarvik could disagree, assure them that they could make this work, they explained. “This gift of the gods, it’s not without a price. They aren’t altruistic, they only give powers to be entertained by the chaos it creates and the lives it destroys. And I am not entertaining enough anymore. I am dying.”  
It felt like something was ripped out of Tarvik’s skin as he heard those words. He had only known them for such a short time, but it hurt so much. He didn’t dare to imagine the pain, other versions of himself who had spend more time with this divine being must feel when they lose them. “Is there that can be done?” he asked, grabbing their hands, trying to capture all the body contact he could in their limited time.  
“There is and you have seen it. I have consumed every single person on this planet and it still wasn’t enough. We could have more time together, yes but at what cost?” The shocked look on Tarvik’s face was answer enough. He didn’t even think about the people who send him here, he only was heartbroken to lose someone he barely just found.  
“But at least I could meet you before all of this ends. I was fool to never search for you. But I have a parting gift for you.” Slowly, they placed their index and middle fingers on their eye, pushing them inside the moving strings, deeper and deeper, until they couldn't be seen anymore. Tarvik twitched when they pulled them out in one smooth motion. He barely could look while the gaping hole in their eye slowly closed again. Between their fingers was a small, bumpy rock that would fit right into the space debris surrounding this planet. No matter how long he looked at it, he couldn't quite understand what it’s purpose was.  
“This is my last attempt at entertainment, one final joke but this time, it’s on the gods.”  
With a bitter laugh, they bit into their hand, pushing the rock into the bit of blood that escaped the new wound. Tarvik didn’t understand until they paced the bloody piece into his hands. At first, he couldn’t understand what was happening at all. Slowly, he could spot pieces of the whole picture - a tree popping up and vanishing next to him, something flying over him, water flickering in and out of existence. It felt like an hour until his eyes and mind had finally adjusted to the massive input of new information. It was still grasp. He could see multiple landscaped in front of him, layered over one another, clipping into each other and melting together. The moment he felt ready to appreciate the beauty of it all, his mind started to struggle. His breathing became more and more uneven and his heart start to flutter while his brain seemed to drown in sensory overload. Suddenly, all was gone again and the being was holding the stone again, smiling satisfied.  
“I know it’s a lot. But you’ll get used to it. And with a little training, you will be able to choose what to see, the place the time, the universe. I just have one thing to ask of you: don’t make the same mistake as me. Do something with this knowledge.”  
Tarvik couldn't answer, he was still trying to process what he just saw. When he finally was able to see this world again, he didn’t have time to start asking questions. The strands from their eyes were starting to fall out of their face. The skin on their legs was starting break, letting out more of the twitching mass.  
“Looks like our time is cut short. Run. When I’m dead, they will search for the next living host being.” They pushed the rock into one of his pockets, but instead of moving away, Tarvik got closer. “This is ser-” He cut them off with a short kiss. “I love you,” he whispered before grabbing his helmet and running.  
He never looked behind. The way out was shorter than expected. His legs got tired quickly but he forced himself to continue. The fog was gone but the houses, clean and tidy before, were starting to break apart. When he reached his ship, he heard one last, loud roar, inhuman and in pain.  
He didn’t think about it. His mind seemed empty, when he climbed inside his seat, no thoughts as he left the atmosphere and navigated through the asteroid belt. This time without help. Only after his autopilot started up again and asked him for his destination, was he pulled out of his trance. What should he do now? “Bring us into a low travel zone, i need to think,” he ordered the AI. While the autopilot started his job, he left the front of his ship and went in the back, to his makeshift bed. He was really clueless what to do. As he was laying there, staring at the ceiling, his hand unwillingly wandered to the rock. The blood was dry and nothing happened. It was crazy what had just happened. What would he tell the families, the people who paid him? He knew he should feel bad about the poor people but he just couldn’t. He was still stuck, longing for the now dead beauty. Whatever it was, he had to make sure no one would try to enter that planet again. Something really deadly. But that had time. His mind wandered back to the godlike being who had blessed him just by existing. He wish he could spend more time with them, learn more about them. Looking down at his hands, he realized that nothing was stopping him from that. He could solve 2 problems at the same time. He took one of the utility knives from his shelf and cut his hand a bit. It was time to find his next destination and helpfully see his love again.


End file.
